David MacKay VC (23 November 1831 – 18 November 1880) was a Scottish recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

(VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and Commonwealth forces.

Life

Born at Alterwall, Howe, Lyth,

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

, the son of a farm labourer, he enlisted in the

93rd Highlanders The 93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment of Foot was a Line Infantry Regiment of the British Army, raised in 1799. Under the Childers Reforms, it amalgamated with the 91st (Argyllshire Highlanders) Regiment of Foot to form the Argyll and Su ...

(which became the 93rd Sutherland Highlanders and ultimately the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders) on 23 December 1850 and served in the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the ...

The VC

He was awarded the VC for an action at the Siege of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny. His citation in the '' London Gazette'' dated 24 December 1858 reads:

The medal

The whereabouts of the VC is unknown, Mackay sold it while he was still alive and it was auctioned around 1910.

Memorial

Mackay was awarded the VC in 1857 but was buried in Lesmahagow cemetery in an unmarked grave. A ceremony was held at the cemetery on 14 November 1998 to unveil a marker erected near the grave.

References

*''

Monuments to Courage David Charles Harvey (29 July 1946 – 4 March 2004) was a historian and author. He is notable for his seminal work, ''Monuments To Courage'', which documents the graves of almost all recipients of the Victoria Cross, a task that took him over 3 ...

'' (David Harvey, 1999) *''

The Register of the Victoria Cross ''The Register of the Victoria Cross'' is a reference work that provides brief information on every Victoria Cross awarded until the publication date. Each entry provides a summary of the deed, along with a photograph of the recipient and the fo ...

'' (This England, 1997) *''

Scotland's Forgotten Valour ''Scotland's Forgotten Valour'' is a 1995 book by Graham Ross, published by MacLean Press under . (The typography of the title on the book uses capitalisation to contrast emphasis ("SCOTLAND'S FORgotten VALOUR"), to communicate additional meanin ...

'' (Graham Ross, 1995)

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
''(Strathclyde)''

''(biography & VC action background)''

''(new memorial plaque)''

1831 births 1880 deaths British recipients of the Victoria Cross Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders soldiers Indian Rebellion of 1857 recipients of the Victoria Cross People from Caithness British Army personnel of the Crimean War British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross {{Scotland-bio-stub